Not another bloody survey, how many does it take? One could ask: how long is a piece of string?
On Sunday, January 16 at Midsumma Carnival, there will be a flurry of men and women brandishing clipboards with a ‘self-complete’ survey for gay and other same-sex attracted guys to fill out.
These folk will be representing the Melbourne Gay Community Periodic Survey which has been conducted over Midsumma since 1998.
In the week following Carnival, some of these folk will be at a number of medical clinics, gay hotels and sex-on-premises-venues around town asking people to add their views to the study.
The Melbourne Gay Community Periodic Survey provides a snapshot of gay men’s sexual practices related to the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The survey is a short questionnaire that takes about 5-10 minutes to fill in. You will be asked about the number of partners you have and the types of sexual relationships you enjoy.
It also asks about oral and anal sex; testing for HIV and other STIs; whether you use condoms for anal sex; when you were last tested for HIV and other STIs; and recreational drug use and your HIV status.
Finally, it asks about your age and sexual identity. The survey is completely confidential. There are no sections to fill out about who you are and where you live.
When you have completed the survey at Carnival you will be given a red dot sticker so the recruiters will know not to ask you again.
You will also be offered the chance to enter a free raffle for a variety of prizes generously donated by a number of gay businesses. You can also pick up a free lolly-pop from the stand.
Like the Melbourne Gay Community Periodic Survey, there are similar Gay Community Periodic surveys conducted around Australia in capital cities in each state and territory. The questions are basically the same to allow for comparisons across the country.
The data collected helps to inform organisations like the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, and the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre and People Living With HIV/AIDS Victoria, amongst others, to determine policy and intervention strategies about what works best to reduce HIV and other STI transmission.
So no, it’s not another bloody survey, rather it is your chance to help improve the messages that may make a difference in someone’s life when thinking or engaging in sex. Maybe your own.
